A Writer's Notebook, Day Seven-Hundred-And-One

I am closing in on the end of the current story, and I am contemplating what I want to begin next.  I have an idea for a possible idea, but I think it would require the scope of a novel.  It is also a rather strange and complicated idea, but I do have a sense of how to approach it, at least.  The central notion is to do with a message from the future that cannot include specific information but is still intended to create some impact to guide humanity through some danger.  That is a basic notion of the premise, which may sound rather banal and similar to other ideas that have been explored before, and I do agree, but I think I have some thoughts on how to do it that make it more interesting and not as cliche. 

I'm attempting to get some of the stories I've written in the past few years out to journals.  It is my hope that, perhaps, I might have a bit more luck with fiction editors, as my work might stand out a bit more, in ways that, I hope, are positive.  I think my fiction tends to stand out a bit more than poetry might, at least in terms of an initial reading, and that may help me to get that work published.  It would be wonderful to start getting some acceptances with my poetry, and I am not going to stop on that front in order to focus on fiction, but I do think that stories may well be a good entry point for me in some ways.  I do have a couple of novels ready to go, and one that I am not even thinking of working on, to be honest (though it may be that I should look at that one again, as it is a bit more grounded in some ways, and certain difficulties I had writing it, I think, would not be the same any longer).  Anyhow, I have two novels that are at least finished, though they are not necessarily in final draft form.  One is ready to go, I think, but the other is more in need of work, though I think it might be a bit more approachable in some ways.  It is not a traditional narrative, in a lot of ways, but is intended to be a kind of fun romp, and I think it has a great deal of humor that makes it easier to engage with.  If I can find success getting fiction published, it opens up a chance of a book growing from whatever short stories I can place, and any others I compose from this point forward.  As well, stories allow me to play with things with less commitment.  I can explore aspects of the story that feel important for me to pursue, or attempt to exercise my ability to do something that I feel needs strengthening.  I think it makes sense for me to attempt to continue work on shorter pieces, honing my skill by focusing on those aspects of the work first.  In some ways, the scope of a novel allows a writer to relax, because they have the space to include everything, while a story must be tighter, and provides a more intense and focused challenge.  I do think that I want to write another novel soon, but I think I want to get to focus on composing a set of stories from which I could build a decent collection.  It is a decision that is partly about questions of publishing, since it is easier to publish stories in journals than to agent a novel, and is easier to sell a novel for a writer with publication credentials.  Still, it is really the other aspects of writing a story, the way it can help me focus on craft in fiction, that seem the most significant motivators.